David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that JAMES LEONARD KEY, 39, of Mansfield, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
           
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2009, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which was subsequently identified as belonging to KEY, accessed a web site in the Netherlands and downloaded at least one image of child pornography.  On October 19, 2010, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) interviewed KEY at his residence.  On that date, KEY admitted that he had knowingly downloaded images and videos of child pornography, and he turned over two laptop computers and an external hard drive to the ICE HSI agents.

KEY was arrested on October 26, 2010, after preliminary forensic examination of his computers and hard drive revealed images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Subsequent forensic analysis of KEY’s computers and components revealed thousands of images and approximately 400 videos of child pornography.

On August 24, 2011, KEY pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

Since his arrest, KEY has been released on a bond in the amount of $100,000, and is under electronic monitoring by the U.S. Probation Office.  He has been ordered to report prison on March 19, 2012.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations in Hartford, with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Cyber Crimes Center, Child Exploitation Section; the European Law Enforcement Agency (EUROPOL) and the Dutch National Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

U.S. Attorney Fein noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, and the District of Connecticut’s “Operation Constant Vigilance,” which are aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov

 

 

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